The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to ultrasound imaging systems, and more particularly to methods for removing occlusions in a three-dimensional (3D) rendered ultrasound image.
Ultrasound is used in many different medical imaging applications, such as for imaging a fetus. Ultrasound imaging systems typically include ultrasound-scanning devices, such as ultrasound probes having transducers connected to an ultrasound system to control the acquisition of ultrasound data for performing various ultrasound scans (e.g., imaging a volume or body). An ultrasound system usually includes a control portion (e.g., a control console or portable unit) that provides interfaces for interacting with a user, such as receiving user inputs and displaying acquired ultrasound images.
Ultrasound imaging systems are capable of creating two-dimensional (2D), 3D, and four-dimensional (4D) images. 3D and 4D imaging is an extension of 2D imaging. To create a 3D image, the imaging system uses a plurality of 2D images to construct, or render, the 3D image.
During the rendering process used to generate the 3D image, conventional ultrasound systems may require manual intervention from an operator to define a region of interest (ROI) within one or more 2D images. For example, in the prenatal ultrasound scanning of a fetus, the feature of interest may be the face of fetus and a ROI may be defined that encompasses the face of the fetus.
Because uninteresting or non-clinically relevant structures such as surrounding tissue (e.g., a portion of the womb, placenta, uterine tissue, and/or the like) may occlude (e.g., block, hide and/or otherwise obfuscate) the view of the fetus, the clinician may adjust the ROI several times before obtaining a satisfactory view of the feature of interest. The ROI may be generally rectangular with one or more sides that may be curved. A clinician may adjust the ROI by moving a control point along the curved sides. But, because the contour of the fetus may vary greatly, thus the shape of the ROI may require significant changes to conform to the contour of the fetus. Furthermore, inexperienced clinicians may have difficulty in defining the shape of the ROI, and experienced users may take the time to move and readjust the ROI. Accordingly, defining the shape of the ROI to obtain the proper visualization for subsequent processing (such that the area of interest is not obstructed) can be a time consuming and difficult process. A reduction in investigation time can improve the comfort of the patients. Additionally, providing a clear, unobstructed view may improve the communication of the findings between the clinician and the patient. These improvements may lead to increased confidence in the prenatal diagnosis and decrease the cost of the examination.